Mechanical kickdown for electronic throttle control pedal assembly

• US 6,209,418 B1
• Filed: 08/26/1999
• Issued: 04/03/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 08/26/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Technologies Holdings Corporation (Teleflex Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Teleflex Incorporated
• Inventors: Kalsi, Avtar S., Wheeler, Douglas J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lorence, Richard M.
• Application Number:
  US09/383,839
• Time in Patent Office: 586 Days
• Field of Search: 74/513, 74/514, 74/560, 123/399
• US Class Current: 74/513
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 26/021 with means for providing feel, e.g. by changing pedal force characteristics
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 59/20 Kickdown
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20534 Accelerator
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/2054 Signal
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20888 Pedals

Abstract

An accelerator pedal assembly (12) for electronically controlling a vehicle engine throttle includes a housing (18), a pedal arm (16) pivotally supported with respect to the housing (18), and a pedal pad (14) connected to a lower end (20) of the pedal arm (16). The pedal arm (16) is pivotable between an idle position and a maximum applied position as a pedal force is applied to the pedal pad (14). Under certain conditions, the accelerator pedal arm (16) can be pivoted to a position that causes the automatic transmission (40) to kickdown by changing to a next lower gear. Under these conditions a feel is imparted to the driver'"'"'s foot indicating that a downshift has occurred. To simulate this feel in a drive-by-wire application, the pedal arm (16) presents a cam surface (48) for interacting with a spring (50) that has a first end (52) seated within the housing (18) and a movable second end (54) for bias engagement with the pedal arm (16). The spring (50) includes a roller (60) mounted on the second end (54) that is forced into contact with a lobe (74) on the cam surface (48) when the pedal arm (16) is pivoted from a first operable position to a pre-determined kickdown position. As the roller (60) engages the lobe (74), the pedal force required to further pivot the pedal arm (16) is increased imparting a kickdown feel to the driver via the pedal pad (14).

Claims

1. An accelerator pedal assembly (12) for electronically controlling a vehicle engine throttle comprising:

a housing (18) for attachment to a vehicle structure (26);

a pedal arm (16) having an upper end (22) pivotally supported with respect to said housing (18) and a lower end (20) for supporting a pedal pad (14), said pedal arm (16) being pivotable between a plurality of operable positions as a pedal force is applied to said pedal pad (14);

a resilient member (50) including a first end (52) fixed relative to said pedal arm (16) and a movable second end (54) for bias engagement with said pedal arm (16), said pedal arm (16) presenting a cam surface (48) for interacting with said resilient member (50) wherein said resilient member (50) is forced into contact with a portion of said cam surface (48) when said pedal arm (16) is pivoted from a first operable position to a predetermined second operable position such that the pedal force required to further pivot said pedal arm (16) is increased, said resilient member (50) including a roller (58) mounted on said second end (54) for engaging said cam surface (48).

2. An assembly as set forth in claim 1 including a support (60) mounted to said second end (54) of said resilient member (50) with a curved recess (62) for supporting said roller (58) as said roller (58) moves along said cam surface (48).

3. An assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said upper end (22) of said pedal arm (16) is pivotally mounted to said housing (18) on a pivot shaft (24) defining an axis of rotation (64) about which said pedal arm (16) pivots when moved between operable positions.

4. An assembly as set forth in claim 3 wherein said pedal arm (16) includes a pivot lever (66) extending rearwardly from said upper end (22), said pivot lever (66) presenting said cam surface (48) for interacting with said roller (58).

5. An assembly as set forth in claim 4 wherein said pivot lever (66) includes a main body portion (68) with a forward edge (70) and a rearward edge (72), said main body portion (68) being orientated transversely to said axis of rotation (64) with said rearward edge (72) defining said cam surface (48).

6. An assembly as set forth in claim 4 wherein said cam surface (48) includes a lobe (74) extending outwardly from said pivot lever (66).

7. An assembly as set forth in claim 6 wherein said pedal arm (16) is pivoted from an idle position to said first operable position when a first pedal force is applied to said pedal pad (14), is pivoted from said first operable position to said second operable position when a second pedal force is applied to said pad (14), and is pivoted from said second operable position to a maximum applied position when a third pedal force is applied to said pedal pad (14), said second pedal force being greater than said first or third pedal force.

8. An assembly as set forth in claim 7 wherein said cam surface (48) is comprised of a first portion (76), a central portion (78) including said lobe (74), and a second portion (80) such that said roller (58) engages said first portion (76) when said pedal arm (16) is pivoted from said idle position to said first operable position, engages said lobe (74) when said pedal arm (16) is pivoted to said second operable position, and engages said second portion (80) when said pedal arm (16) is pivoted from said second operable position to said maximum applied position.

9. An assembly as set forth in claim 8 wherein said second operable position is a kickdown position where said second pedal force is increased as said roller (58) is forced over said lobe (74), simulating a transmission shift feel at said pedal pad (14).

10. An assembly as set forth in claim 9 wherein said third pedal force is decreased as said pedal arm (16) is pivoted from said kickdown position to said maximum applied position.

11. An assembly as set forth in claim 10 wherein said housing (18) includes a notch (56) for seating said first end (52) of said resilient member (50).

12. An assembly as set forth in claim 1 including an electronic throttle control sensor (28) supported by said housing (18), said electronic throttle control sensor (28) for generating an electric control signal (30) that varies in magnitude in proportion to the extent of movement of said pedal arm (16) relative to said housing (18).

13. An assembly as set forth in claim 12 wherein said resilient member (50) is comprised of a spring having one end (52) seated within said housing (18) and an opposite end (54) connected to a roller (58) for engaging said cam surface (48) as said pedal arm (16) is moved from an idle position to a maximum applied position.

14. An assembly as set forth in claim 13 wherein said pedal arm (16) is pivoted from said idle position to said first operable position when a first pedal force is applied to said pedal pad (14), is pivoted from said first operable position to said kickdown position when a second pedal force is applied to said pad (14), and is pivoted from said kickdown position to said maximum applied position when a third pedal force is applied to said pedal pad (14), said second pedal force being greater than said first or third pedal force.

15. An assembly as set forth in claim 14 wherein said cam surface (48) is comprised of a first portion (76), a central portion (78) having a lobe (74) extending outwardly from said surface (48), and a second portion (80) wherein said roller (58) engages said first portion (76) when said pedal arm (16) is pivoted from said idle position to said first operable position, engages said lobe (74) when said pedal arm (16) is in said kickdown position, and engages said second portion (80) when said pedal arm (16) is pivoted from said kickdown position to said maximum applied position such that said second pedal force is increased as said roller (58) is forced over said lobe (74) to simulate a transmission shift feel at said pedal pad (14) as said transmission (40) shifts from a high gear position to a low gear position.

16. An accelerator pedal assembly (12) for electronically controlling a vehicle engine throttle comprising:

a housing (18) for attachment to a vehicle structure (26);

a pedal arm (16) having an upper end (22) pivotally supported with respect to said housing (18) and a lower end (20) for supporting a pedal pad (14), said pedal arm (16) being pivotable between a plurality of operable positions as a pedal force is applied to said pedal pad (14);

a resilient member (50) that engages a portion of said pedal arm (16) when said pedal arm (16) is pivoted from a first operable position to a pre-determined second operable position such that the pedal force required to further pivot said pedal arm (16) is increased,

said pedal arm (16) presenting a cam surface (48) for interacting with said resilient member (50), said resilient member including a first end (52) fixed relative to said pedal arm (16) and a movable second end (54) for bias engagement with said pedal arm (16) wherein said resilient member (50) is forced into contact with a portion of said cam surface (48) when said pedal arm (16) is pivoted from said first operable position to said predetermined second operable position,

an electronic throttle control sensor (28) supported by said housing (18) for generating an electric control signal (30) that varies in magnitude in proportion to the extend of movement of said pedal arm (16) relative to said housing (18) and wherein said resilient member (50) includes a roller (58) mounted on said second end (54) for engaging said cam surface (48).

17. An accelerator pedal assembly (12) for electronically controlling a vehicle engine throttle comprising:

a housing (18) for attachment to a vehicle structure (26);

a pedal arm (16) having an upper end (22) pivotally supported with respect to said housing (18) and a lower end (20) for supporting a pedal pad (14), said pedal arm (16) being pivotable between a plurality of operable positions as a pedal force is applied to said pedal pad (14);

a resilient member (50) including a first end (52) fixed relative to said pedal arm (16) and a movable second end (54) for bias engagement with said pedal arm (16) said pedal arm (16) presenting a cam surface (48) for interacting with a resilient member (50) wherein said resilient member (50) is forced into contact with a portion of said cam surface (48) when said pedal arm (16) is pivoted from an idle position to a first operable position when a first pedal force is applied to said pedal pad (14) and is pivoted from said first operable position to said second operable position when a second pedal force is applied to said pad (14) and is pivoted from said second operable position to a maximum applied position when a third pedal force is applied to said pedal pad (14) with said second pedal force being greater than said first or third pedal force.

18. An assembly as set forth in claim 17 wherein said cam surface (48) comprises a first portion (76), a central portion (78) and a second portion (80) such that said resilient member (50) engages said first portion (76) when said pedal arm (16) is pivoted to said first operable position, engages said lobe (74) when said pedal arm (16) is pivoted to said second operable position, and engages said second portion (80) when said pedal arm (16) is pivoted from said second operable position to said maximum applied position.

19. An assembly as set forth in claim 18 wherein said cam surface (48) includes a lobe (74) extending outwardly from said pivot lever (66) and said second operable position is a kickdown position where said second pedal force is increased as said resilient member (50) is forced over said lobe (74), simulating a transmission shift feel at said pedal pad (14).

20. An assembly as set forth in claim 19 wherein said third pedal force is decreased as said pedal arm (16) is pivoted from said kickdown position to said maximum applied position.